


Vitriolic

by aoifewalshe__314



Category: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-18 02:47:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14844156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aoifewalshe__314/pseuds/aoifewalshe__314
Summary: Growing up as the middle child in a large family with three pairs of twins, Idylla Aesalon was never anything special compared to her siblings. The genetic mutation carried by every Aesalon gives her the most unimpressive Animagi, especially in contrast with her eldest brother's eagle or her twin's lynx. However, upon starting Hogwarts, Idylla finds herself being swept into a new life where, for once, she is something special. While her relationship with most of her family deteriorates, her friendships grow stronger.





	Vitriolic

Prologue

Idylla Aesalon had the misfortune of being born in the middle. In the Aesalon family the middle child was always the least extraordinary, no matter what. It was like a curse. Idylla’s eldest sibling, Stavros – there was a strong tradition of Greek first names – was out of Hogwarts and working as an acclaimed curse breaker in Egypt already, despite only being nineteen. He was the magic prodigy of the family.

Next, there was the first set of twins, Tomaso and Gemina whose names quite literally mean ‘twin’. Everybody knew them after they created a new potion that helped numb the effects of extreme drunkenness.

After them came Kal, who well and truly lived up to his name as being the ‘most beautiful’. Him and Idylla looked alike which she was simultaneously grateful and bitter for though it was to be expected -- they were twins, after all. Kal looked older and ended up getting treated better by adults because of it. His hair was pure black and glistened in the sun like ink, his skin carried a deep olive tan that lasted all year and his bone structure was envied by all: high cheekbones, a curved nose, a lean and slender frame – his charisma didn’t make people hate him either.

Then there was her, Idylla, smack bang in the centre. At the age of eleven, people still didn’t really judge her but she could sense that she didn’t give off the same breath-taking aura that Stavros, the twins and Kal gave off.

Her sister, Daria, was four years her junior yet she was easily the most memorable of the lot. She was indescribably clumsy and once ended up on the front page if the Daily Prophet for accidentally setting fire to Flourish and Blott’s while accompanying Stavros on his annual trip to Diagon Alley. The small black and white image of her apologising profusely as she ran out of the building had played over and over again on the front page.

Lois and Lyssa were the third pair of twins and their extraordinariness involved their identicalness. They shared the same everything; Stavros’ curly blonde hair, Tomaso and Gemina’s green eyes, Kal’s sallow skin, Idylla’s pursed lips and even Daria’s bony elbows. If people loved Kal then they adored the twins. For some reason, adults seemed to like pretty things that looked the same.

Belen was the youngest and was still only a baby, really, at the age of four. His name meant ‘arrow’, after the peculiar arrow-shaped birthmark on his right shoulder. Due to his young age, he was yet to accomplish anything but Idylla knew that in time, he’d succeed and prosper – in the Aesalon family, the youngest always prospered the most.

Had she been born into another family, Idylla’s Animagi abilities may have been considered special. Her family were the sole carriers of the hereditary Animagi gene as their ancestor, Falco, was the first to realise how the process worked. Unfortunately, due to mishaps and a few errors, he ended up being stuck as a falcon for a while. He only managed to become human again at his death. Generations of Aesalons following him worked tirelessly to configure the gene into their DNA and to become animals until eventually, some two hundred years ago, it worked. Idylla’s Animagus was fox although hers was a peculiar subspecies of fox – her coat was completely black except for the shock of white at the end of her tail.

Compared to the others – Stavros’ eagle, Tomaso’s stag, Gemina’s gazelle, Kal’s lynx, Daria’s faun, the twins’ Siamese cats and Belen’s wolf – hers was unimpressive. She pondered over her middle child curse as she waited for Kal to finish his chat with some passing by Muggle who had caught his eye. Their parents had already gone through the barrier with Daria – the only one of the youngest four allowed to accompany them – and the twins were staying with their friend, a Muggleborn Gryffindor named Maria Quigley. Idylla had wanted to follow them instantly and see Platform 9 and ¾ but Kal insisted they chat with the Muggles first, out of curiosity.

‘This is my baby sister, Idylla,’ Kal was telling the Muggle as he slung an arm around Idylla’s shoulders gracefully. At the word ‘baby’, Idylla scowled. The hour that separated them was hardly much.

‘I am not the youngest,’ she stated, annoyed, trying to slip out of Kal’s grip. Usually, she’d become her Animagus but that was pretty much taboo in front of Muggles. Kal obviously knew that by the smug grin on his face. The Muggle – a young girl with soft features and chestnut-brown hair who was around twelve or thirteen, maybe – giggled, her cheeks flushing red. Her blue eyes darted to Kal’s face before looking away again, focusing on the ground. The colour continued to rush to her cheeks.

‘I-I got to go,’ the Muggle girl said, stuttering. ‘Er- Can I get your number?’

Kal was flummoxed, to Idylla’s amusement. She had no idea what it meant either but confusion wasn’t typically associated with Kal.

‘Your what?’

‘Number,’ she said, giving Kal a curious look as her blush began to die down. ‘Like, your telephone number.’

A fleeting look of panic crossed Kal’s face. Idylla snickered – the word ‘telephone’ clearly didn’t ring any bells. ‘Don’t have one,’ Kal said quickly, grabbing Idylla’s forearm and grasping it tightly as he dragged her to Platforms Nine and Ten. He was dragging along the trolley holding their trunks and Kal’s owl, Echo, as well, almost sending it toppling over to the side on multiple occasions. He pushed her into the pillar roughly. With a weird sensation that felt a bit as though she was flying, she passed through, opening her eyes in a bustling train platform to Gemina’s face staring at her expectantly.

‘You and Kal took your time,’ she said conversationally, grabbing Idylla’s trunk from Kal’s trolley. ‘Tom and I both got here before you.’

‘You know Kal’s motto,’ she said, narrowing her eyes at her brother’s figure. He was already talking to a girl, unsurprisingly. ‘Early rarely, normally late.’

‘I’m surprised his Animagus isn’t a peacock,’ Gemina said, laughing as she watched their brother. ‘He won’t be helping the whole Gryffindors are self-centred thing.’

Gemina was Idylla’s favourite sibling. She was practically the poster image of perfection with her sleek blonde hair held in two perfect braids, shining green eyes and a button nose, not to mention ineffable intelligence and something her brothers tended to lack: kindness. She would always talk to Idylla and didn’t try to make her feel inferior because of her age.

‘Where’s Mum and Dad?’ Idylla asked curiously, her eyes widening at Gemina’s careless shrug.

‘They left,’ she said bluntly. ‘Impromptu meeting at the Ministry. Daria is being brought back by Maria’s parents.’

Idylla winced at Gemina’s harsh tone. While she may have been kind, tactfulness was never her strong point. If she wasn’t an Aesalon, Idylla would have been surprised that she wasn’t Sorted into Hufflepuff. Apparently, her genes overruled her straightforward honesty.

‘Oh,’ Idylla said. She hadn’t meant to sound so. . . small but the disappointment was evident in her voice. She rarely got to see her parents due to their busy work schedules and her mother’s constant visits abroad to their ill grandmother in Switzerland.

‘You okay?’ Gemina asked, patting Idylla’s back. ‘You can write to them when you get Sorted. Mum always looks forward to hearing about Gryffindor.’

Her face lit up as she looked up from Idylla. Seconds later, she was flying into the arms of some boy with dreadlocks that Idylla didn’t recognise. ‘Will!’

Noticing how she wasn’t wanted, Idylla took her trunk and got onto the train, her eyes focused on a small spot on the ground dejectedly as she traipsed about, trying to find a compartment or her twin. Either would do at this point. Suddenly, as she was nearing the end of the third carriage, a hand shot out from out of nowhere, seizing her arm in a tight grasp and pulling her inside. Idylla’s body fell to the floor and she let out an embarrassingly high squeal. ‘What did you do that for?’ she asked the blonde-haired girl perched on the chair in the compartment neatly. She looked extremely put together. Her dark blonde hair was braided in two French plaits with not even a strand escaping. Idylla couldn’t help but compare her features to Gemina’s – the blonde hair and pinched nose made the girl look like Gemina’s long lost little sister. She eyed Idylla with a single scrutinising look before clearing her throat sharply and extending her hand to help Idylla off the floor.

Narrowing her eyes, Idylla stood up of her own accord. The girl’s eyebrows shot up and her bright blue eyes sparked with curiosity. She smiled though it seemed more courteous than genuine.

‘My name is Melinda Rosier. I need a friend and so do you.’

‘Most friendships don’t begin with a kidnapping,’ Idylla muttered under her breath darkly, unaware of Melinda’s giggling. Her voice wasn’t that loud. ‘My name is Idylla Aesalon.’

‘Dilly for short?’ Melinda Rosier questioned, quirking an eyebrow at her in amusement. Idylla’s lips tightened and she raised her chin.

‘I go by Ellie sometimes because my middle name is Élodie,’ she said. ‘Nobody has ever called me Dilly.’ That was a lie. Some Muggle children near their home used to tease her by calling her that because their narrow little minds couldn’t comprehend the fact that cultures existed outside of Britain.

‘You don’t look like an Ellie though I guess your name is kind of hard to make a nickname out of,’ Melinda told her, her wide cerulean eyes watching her intently. ‘Are you related to Falco Aesalon by any chance?’

‘Distantly,’ she answered vaguely, scrunching her nose up. ‘Why?’

Melinda shrugged. ‘I got his Chocolate Frog card the other day. I’m going to be on one of them when I’m older.’ The ambitious tone to her voice was undeniable. She sat back, her spine more relaxed. She turned to Idylla again, giving her another piercing look. ‘You can call me Mel, by the way. Only my grandmother calls me Melinda and trust me, she won’t be for much longer. She’s so close to death she is practically buried already.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Idylla apologised, her eyes wide. If she had ever said something like in the presence of her parents or siblings, she’d be crucified. The edges of her lips quirked up in a ghost of a smile. Melinda let out a loud barking laugh. It was rather unexpected, really – she didn’t seem like the kind who threw her head back when laughing.

‘Why are you apologising? It’s true – she has been doddering off the past month or so.’

‘Doddering off?’ she repeated in disbelief. _‘Doddering?’_

‘You know, like, dying,’ Melinda said nonchalantly, giving her a shrug. ‘So . . . What House d’you reckon you’ll get?’

‘All of my older siblings and my dad are in Gryffindor,’ she answered. ‘I’d be breaking tradition if I go anywhere else.’

‘And your mum?’ Melinda asked.

‘She’s Swiss so she went to Beauxbatons,’ Idylla said.

‘That’s a disheartening beginning to our friendship,’ she said thoughtfully, propping her legs up on the seat opposite her – right beside Idylla. ‘All of mine have been in Slytherin. I definitely going there too and if the Hat even tries to put me anywhere else, I’ll set it on fire.’

‘How?’ Idylla asked curiously. The whole Slytherin part went over her head – she had heard Stavros – and even Tomaso and Gemina, on occasion – give out about Slytherins but she rarely paid it any mind – completely.

A relieved smile grew on Melinda’s face. ‘My brother, Evan, taught me the incantation. If I get it wrong – not that I would – he said he’ll just vaporise it or something.’

‘Can he do that?’ Idylla asked in an awed voice.

Melinda nodded rapidly. ‘Evan is really good at magic,’ she said. ‘How many siblings do you have?’ ‘

Eight,’ she answered promptly. Melinda’s jaw dropped open. ‘Stavros is the eldest and he is in Egypt right now. He was Head Boy a few years ago.’

‘Evan told me about him,’ Melinda told her knowledgeably. ‘He pulled off the Patronus Charm for his OWLs, yeah?’

‘He got an O because of it!’ Idylla boasted proudly. ‘After him, there’s the first set of twins, Tom and Gemina. They made this potion that makes you. . . not-drunk, I guess. I’m not really sure.’

‘What does that even mean?’ Melinda questioned.

‘No idea. After them, there’s Kal, then me – he is older by an hour -- my little sister, Daria, the identical twins, Lyssa and Lois and my baby brother, Belen,’ she finished quickly, letting out a heavy breath. ‘Oh Merlin, I hope I haven’t forgotten one.’

Melinda snickered at that. ‘I wish I had a load of siblings too. It’s just me and Evan.’

After that, they launched into a conversation about Quidditch – Melinda claimed it was a load of rubbish to Idylla’s chagrin – and subjects. As the day was fading to night, Melinda whipped out a packet of Exploding Snap as well as her entire Chocolate Frog card collection, showing Idylla the picture of her ancestor, Falco Aesalon. His image smiled at her and gave a wink. Like many in her family, he was all skin and bones. She couldn’t find any other likeliness.

The two got off the train together. Idylla complained about the cold at once to which Melinda snorted, calling her a baby but asking her concerned questions at the pallid purple tinge her hands took on during the boat ride over. Idylla shrugged in response, blaming poor circulation.

Their chat continued for the short walk up to the grand wooden pair of doors. Idylla found out that Melinda planned on becoming Minister of Magic one day and that if that didn’t work out, she’d either go to Ireland (as they also spoke English) or France (the Rosiers roots were in France) and become Minister of Magic there instead. She confided in Melinda that she wanted to be successful, to set her apart from her siblings.

Professor McGonagall brought their conversation to a close with a swift glare and a curt threat. The Great Hall was all abuzz with life and excitement. Candles levitated up above, illuminating the stormy grey sky thundering overhead. Students were greeting each other excitedly – she spotted Tom and Gemina sitting opposite Maria and Will, Gemina’s boyfriend. Tom shot her a wink and Gemina gave her a reassuring smile as she, along with the rest if the first years, was frogmarched inside. McGonagall continued to stride towards the top of the Hall, stopping beside a worn hat placed up a wooden stool. Clearing her throat, she took out a scroll but before she could do so, a tear in the hat – the Sorting Hat – elongated, curving into a smug grin of sorts. Idylla hadn't expected thst it would burst into song.

‘Every year on September 1st,

I'm called to do my duty.

To attend the Hogwarts Welcome Banquet

And show you all my inner beauty.

‘I know you think I'm worn and ugly

And should be thrown away,

But I hold the key to your future here

Starting from today.

‘I have no easy task before me

For alone I must decide.

By looking into your deepest thoughts

I shall tell you which house to reside.

‘There are four houses to choose from:

Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Gryffindor.

Four great wizards who once chose for themselves,

But can no longer for they are no more.

‘What Helga Hufflepuff valued most

Was hard work, loyalty, and determination.

And Rowena Ravenclaw believed

Great knowledge should be their inspiration.

‘Three words that describe Salazar Slytherin,

Are ambitious, sly, and cunning.

He thought they should stop at nothing

To get what they are craving.

‘And finally there's Godric Gryffindor,

Courageous, noble and brave.

He preferred that his students

Stay chivalrous to the grave.

'Four houses great and mighty,

All excelling in their own way.

Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Gryffindor

Would be proud if they were here today.

‘So put me on your head, And let the Sorting Ceremony commence!’

With an abrupt harrumph, the Hat collapsed, returning to its inanimate non-singing form on the stool. McGonagall gave one stern sweeping look through the glasses perched on her nose as she unfurled the piece of parchment. The pool of confidence resting in Idylla’s stomach curdled like sour milk as her green eyes met Idylla’s.

‘Aesalon, Idylla.’ The silence was punctuated by a loud whoop from Tom. Idylla gulped, wiping her sweaty hands off her cloak. With a surname like hers, of course she’d end up being Sorted first. If only her name began with Z. . . Melinda shot her a reassuring smile. Even though they had only known each other for mere hours, Idylla could read her expression as clear as day. _You’ll be okay_.

Exhaling deeply, Idylla pushed through the throng of her peers and walked to the top of the Great Hall with as much confidence as she could muster. As she felt all those eyes on her, her stomach swooped anxiously and the colour rose to her cheeks. She looked down to the ground as she took her seat.

Seconds later, the cool rim of the Sorting Hat had been placed on her head, falling down so that it covered her eyes. For a minute, she heard nothing, only the painful sound of silence. However, a low croaky voice spoke and the silence shattered.

_Interesting_. . . the Hat said in her head. _An Aesalon, correct? I have Sorted many of those before._

Relief washed over Idylla like cold water on a sunny day. _You have?_

_You are rather different to them,_ the Hat continued. If relief was cold water on a sunny day, then those words would have made the water freeze into an icy cage around her. Idylla’s heart dropped.

_What do you mean?_ she asked it, panicked. The Hat gave a low chuckle.

_I see your ambitions, young one. They are quiet, practically unspoken of to anyone other than your reflection_. . . Its voice trailed off. _You have a resolute willingness to get what you want that none of your siblings before could even dream of replicating._

_I will still be Sorted to Gryffindor, right?_ she questioned nervously. _You cannot Sort me somewhere against my will._

_Gryffindor will only leave you ostracised amongst your peers,_ the Hat told her bluntly.

_I’d rather that than being an outsider in my own family._

_If they made you an outsider for something as mere as your House, surely that means they aren’t worthy enough to be your family?_ A pause. Idylla figured this was for effect, to let its words deliver their impact.

_You know what I am about to say._

  
_Gryffindor_ —

The Hat cut off her thoughts with a bellow of the word her older siblings had been ridiculing since Stavros started at Hogwarts. ‘SLYTHERIN!’


End file.
